How to Visit Lake O’Hara – Yoho National Park

Without question, Lake O’Hara is one of the most beautiful spots in the Canadian Rockies. As you approach Lake O’Hara for the first time, the intimate, peaceful setting and sheer magnitude of the majestic surrounding mountains will take your breath away.

Located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia, just minutes west of Banff National Park, the Lake O’Hara area is also one of the hardest places to visit in the Canadian Rockies. With tightly controlled visitation limits, those wishing to visit Lake O’Hara must either be very lucky (getting a rare reservation for a shuttle bus ticket) or very determined (hiking the 11 km access road).

While it is challenging to get here, there are several different ways you can visit Lake O’Hara. Read on to discover how you can visit this magical place in the Canadian Rockies.

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4 Ways To Get to Lake O’Hara

To preserve the pristine wilderness environment around Lake O’Hara, Yoho National Park limits daily visitation to approximately 200 visitors a day across all four methods of getting to the lake.

1) Lake O’Hara Shuttle Bus

How to Get a Lake O’Hara Shuttle Bus Reservation

Getting a reservation on the Lake O’Hara shuttle bus is not easy. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the area, Parks Canada holds a lottery for shuttle bus reservations.

The steps to get a Lake O’Hara shuttle bus reservation are:

1) Check to see when Parks Canada opens up the Lake O’Hara bus lottery. The lottery entry dates are usually in spring. For example, recent entry dates were March 11-31, 2024 and March 3 – 24, 2025.

2) Enter the Lake O’Hara shuttle bus lottery. You will be asked for your preferred dates and the number of people in your group. Note that it costs money to enter the shuttle bus lottery. The money spent to enter the draw is non-refundable, even if you don’t win a shuttle bus ticket.

3) The shuttle bus draw typically takes place the day after the lottery closes. Successful applicants are notified immediately and are given 15 days to confirm their reservation online.

4) If you were an unsuccessful lottery applicant (and most of us are), you can always check back 20 days after the lottery closes. On this date Yoho National Park offers the unclaimed reservation slots to the public.

The Shuttle Bus Ride to Lake O’Hara

If you are lucky enough to have won a Lake O’Hara shuttle bus reservation, you’ll need to arrive at the parking lot 20 minutes early to check-in with the Parks Canada attendant. They will check your photo ID to ensure it matches the name on the shuttle bus reservation

It takes the shuttle bus approximately 20 minutes to reach the Lake O’Hara campground, and an additional 5 minutes to reach the Le Relais Day Shelter. Take note of where the bus stop is, as the bus drivers will not let you board at the Lake O’Hara Lodge.

2) Camping at Lake O’Hara

Another way to guarantee a Lake O’Hara bus ride is to reserve a backcountry camping site. In late January, campers can attempt to make a reservation for up to three nights at the Lake O’Hara campground via the Parks Canada Reservation Service.

Those who successfully reserve a campsite at Lake O’Hara can also reserve a spot on the shuttle bus. Do not attempt to game the system. Anyone who makes a camping reservation, but shows up for the shuttle without a tent will be turned away.

Camping reservations for the Lake O’Hara campground were made on January 23, 2025. (The previous year was on January 25, 2024)

3) Stay at Lake O’Hara

If backcountry camping isn’t your thing, you can try to get a coveted reservation at one of the two places to stay at Lake O’Hara:

• The Elizabeth Parker Hut (run by the Alpine Club of Canada)
• The Lake O’Hara Lodge

Anyone who successfully makes a reservation is able to make an incoming reservation on the Lake O’Hara bus. See more on these places to stay at Lake O’Hara below.

4) Hiking the Lake O’Hara Road

If all else fails, you can resort to good, old-fashioned walking, and many people who are intent on visiting Lake O’Hara without a shuttle bus ticket do just that. There is no daily limit to the number of people who can hike the access road to Lake O’Hara, but we gather this number is factored into the overall targeted visitation numbers.

It’s not exactly easy to hike the Lake O’Hara Fire Road. From the parking lot, it’s an 11 km one-way hike to the day use area. Over this 11 km hike, you’ll have an elevation gain of approximately 400 m. This will take a typical hiker approximately 2.5 – 3.5 hours to walk one-way.

Keep in mind, you’ll be hiking 11 km before you even get to do any of the ‘real’ Lake O’Hara hiking trails. And, although there’s a chance you can catch a ride back on the shuttle bus (subject to space and you’ll need cash), you have to count on hiking another 11 km back.

If you elect to hike to Lake O’Hara, see our list of recommended hiking gear and make sure you bring plenty of everything, especially bear spray, food and water.

3 Places to Stay at Lake O’Hara

With such a gorgeous area and limited visitation, it’s no surprise that demand for the places to stay at Lake O’Hara is extremely high. As with the shuttle bus reservations, there is an element of preparation and a lot of luck involved.

1) Lake O’Hara Lodge

In an effort to increase visitation to the Canadian Rockies, the Canadian Pacific Railway built some of the most iconic lodging in the world, including the Banff Springs Hotel, the Chateau Lake Louise hotel and yes, even the Lake O’Hara Lodge. Built in the 1920’s, the Lake O’Hara Lodge remains one of the most sought after accommodations in the Rocky Mountains.

The main lodge features 8 rooms with twin beds and requires a minimum 2-night stay. Alternately, guests can stay in one of the charming lakeside cabins or the cedar cabins (great for families)

Stays at the lodge include all locally inspired meals, afternoon tea and, in season, transportation on the shuttle bus. In winter, guests of the Lake O’Hara Lodge must snowshoe or ski the 11 km from the parking lot to the lodge.

The Lake O’Hara Lodge is not open year round. In the summer & fall, it is typically open mid-June to early October, while in the winter guests can stay between late-January to early April.

2) Lake O’Hara Campground

The Lake O’Hara campground is a reasonably big backcountry campground with 30 sites. As with the shuttle, the demand for a campsite far exceeds availability.

How to Reserve a Lake O’Hara Camping Trip

Log into the Parks Canada reservation system at least 15 minutes before they start taking Yoho National Park camping reservations for the season. At the moment the reservation system opens, you will be assigned a random number in line, based on the total number of people waiting to make a reservation.

When your number in the online queue is called, you will enter the official reservation system. If you are lucky enough to find available campsites then you are in business. You can make up to two reservations at one time, for up to three nights each time.

If you are lucky enough to get a camping reservation, familiarize yourself with the campground facilities and important policies before packing for your Lake O’Hara trip.

3) Elizabeth Parker Hut

Another adventurous option for staying at Lake O’Hara is to stay at the Elizabeth Parker Hut, operated by the Alpine Club of Canada. There are two structures at the Elizabeth Parker Hut – the main hut and the Wiwaxy Cabin, with a combined capacity of 24 guests.

A stay at the Elizabeth Parker Huts is a communal experience, with shared living, cooking and sleeping areas. The basics are provided (foam mattresses and utensils), but otherwise guests must bring their own food, sleeping bags and personal effects. Guests of the Elizabeth Parker ACC Hut also help clean, chop firewood and shovel snow.

In addition to the opportunity to stay overnight in a Canadian Rockies paradise, another big perk of staying at the Elizabeth Parker Huts is getting a coveted spot on a Lake O’Hara shuttle bus.

4) Stay at Lake Louise or Field, British Columbia

If you managed to secure an early morning bus reservation, or if you intend to walk the access road, you may wish to stay nearby to make your morning a little easier. Keep in mind, to make the 8:30 bus people from Calgary need to depart around 6 AM, while residents of Banff or Canmore need to hit the road by 7-7:15 AM.

If you’d like to sleep in a little longer, a great strategy is to stay nearby in either Lake Louise, or in Field, BC – which are only 10-15 minutes away. There are several good places to stay in Field, but you simply can’t beat a stay at one of the best hotels in Lake Louise.

Baggage Restrictions for the Lake O’Hara Bus

Regardless of where you are staying at Lake O’Hara, be aware of some luggage limitations on the shuttle bus.

• You may bring one large or two small bags per person (maximum weight 25 kg/55 lbs; maximum length 97 cm/38 inches).
  
  
• You may bring a soft-sided cooler as long as it fits within your luggage allowance.
  
  
• You may not bring loose items, hard-sized coolers, hard-sided storage bins, hammocks, chairs, electronics or musical instruments onto the bus or into the Lake O’Hara campground.

Directions to the Lake O’Hara Parking Lot

The large Lake O’Hara parking lot is 13 km east of Field, British Columbia and 12 km west of Lake Louise, Alberta. See the Lake O’Hara shuttle bus parking lot on Google Maps.

The drive from Calgary to the Lake O’Hara parking lot is about 2 hours and 15 minutes. It’s a beautiful drive along the TransCanada Highway through Banff National Park.

Lake O’Hara FAQ

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